All posts by Sebastian

This year’s Australian Open Tennis Tournament was plagued with player injuries before it began, with big names, like Andy Murray, forced to withdraw and other players such as Rafael Nadal starting the tournament but carrying an injury.

At Turramurra Sports and Spinal Physio, we have compiled an injury checklist – here are our top five:-

Ankle Sprains

The dynamic sideways moves that tennis players make, especially when playing on grass or when fatigued, are the commonest cause of Ankle sprains and strains. Ligament damage and tearing and bleeding of the soft tissues in the ankle can be caused by twisting the ankle resulting in pain and swelling.

At Turramurra, our physiotherapists suggest taping of the ankle or an ankle brace to reduce the risk of injury, particularly for those who have already had an ankle injury in the past.

Immediately after injury, ice and compression of the ankle combined with rest and elevation of the foot will help to relieve inflammation and pain. Once this initial phase has passed, one of our sports and spinal physio team can provide treatment with the aim of speeding recovery and restoring full and correct ankle function.

Calf Strains

Tennis players make many of their shots, pushing off one foot only. This is when a calf strain is most likely to occur as the tissues of the calf muscles can tear if this movement causes muscles to be stretched too far.

As with ankle injury, ice, compression (which helps to lessen bleeding within muscle tissue), elevation of the leg and rest, is the order of the day in the acute phase. After this, your physiotherapist will help you with gentle exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the damaged muscle groups.

Your physiotherapist can advise on how to reduce your chances of getting a repeat injury. For example, they can advise on diet as correct nutrition, with the appropriate amount of carbohydrate may help in preventing calf strain by providing muscles with the energy needed.

Back Injuries

Stress fractures affecting the back are common, particularly among younger players who are growing rapidly. Players often notice stress fracture pain is worsened by the serving action and is often relieved by resting.

Correct coaching support should ensure that the risk of stress fracture is minimised by limiting the amount of serving practice done. In addition, learning exercises to improve core stability and strength like the ones we teach in sports and spinal physio will help as will participating in Yoga or Pilates classes.

Unfortunately, the best thing to do after picking up this type of injury is simply to rest – completely for several weeks! Using heat or ice packs can be helpful in relieving pain.

In the rehabilitation phase, our physiotherapists will work with patients to correct any postural problems and to strengthen and stabilize the muscles of the lumbar spine. This reduces pain and can help to minimise the risk of further injury by supporting the spine better.

Elbow Injuries

One of the most common elbow injuries for tennis players is ‘Tennis Elbow’. This is a painful problem, caused by inflammation and affects forearm tendons and muscles at the point where they join the Humerus.

One of the best ways of minimising risk of tennis elbow is to have the right size racquet-grip for your hand – thus avoiding gripping too tightly. Our physiotherapists can advise on the use of a compression strap to minimise elbow strain and the risk of injury.

For those experiencing their first bout of Tennis Elbow, anti-inflammatories, combined with rest and sometimes injections of Corticosteroid preparations can be very effective. After reduction of the initial inflammation, our physiotherapists support patient recovery with exercises for the extensor tendons, designed to strengthen and protect from further injury.

Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries are common in tennis players because of the repeated stresses on the shoulder joint, especially when serving. Bursitis is among the most frequently seen shoulder injuries and can be very painful when raising the arm in particular. This is because of impingement of the fluid-filled sac in the shoulder which gets trapped between bone in the shoulder joint and the muscles of the rotator cuff that stabilize it.

After the initial ‘acute’ period after injury, during which, topical and oral anti-inflammatory treatments are used in combination with ice applied to the affected area a physiotherapist can help with exercises designed to improve range of motion, flexibility, strength and stability in the shoulder.

A Final Word …

The Physiotherapy team at Turramurra Sports and Spinal Physio regularly treat patients who have picked up an injury in one of many different sporting disciplines. As physiotherapists, we can support you in the initial stages of recovery, (acute phase) and in the longer-term recovery period, (rehabilitation phase). At whatever level you play, you could be sidelined permanently if your injury is not treated effectively right from the outset. So, whether you have already suffered an injury, or you would like advice on preventing injury, call us today on 9144-1510 and schedule your first appointment with a member of our team.

Tennis is a sport most of us have tried at some time or other. Many of us play regularly at a local club as an important part of our social life as well as helping us to keep fit. Almost anyone of any age can enjoy the game but it is easy to pick up a painful injury without a little thought and preparation beforehand.

Common injuries include sprains – particularly to ankles, calf muscles, knees and wrists, rotator cuff injuries to the shoulder, ‘Tennis Elbow’ and injuries to the back ranging from disc compression to strains.

Many of us take to the tennis court without proper preparation. Adam Rocchi, Chiropractor Perth, says that he and his sports chiropractor team see many tennis injuries at the Spinescan Practice and has put together some tips that could prevent injury spoiling your game.

1. Have an Exercise Plan

It is very important to build the strong muscles that protect our spine and joints from injury. Building these muscles will not happen overnight; it is a gradual process and having an exercise plan that fits in with your lifestyle but which will help to protect you from picking up an injury is a long-term commitment. Your Chiropractor Perth can help you in reaching your fitness goals with a manageable exercise plan that is right for you.

2. Have a Warm Up and Warm Down Routine

It is very important to warm up your muscles before exercise and to stretch them correctly afterwards. It does not have to be complicated -a short, simple routine is all you need to protect your muscles and help to prevent stiffness after exercise. If in doubt, ask your Chiropractor to help you devise a routine.

3. Know What to Eat and When!

Your sports Chiropractor can provide nutritional advice on diet and supplementation to help you get the best out of your body. For example, food is the fuel we put into our bodies. Running low on fuel during a long tennis match is the time when muscles are most prone to injury. Following advice on what to eat will help prevent your body from running out of fuel and picking up an injury.

4. Listen to Your Body!

Pain is the way our bodies tell us that something is wrong. Ignore it at your peril! You can avoid worsening an injury by stopping as soon as pain strikes instead of trying to carry on. Using ice or heat packs or alternating these will help immediately after an injury, seeing your Chiropractor as soon as possible and taking advice on the care and rehabilitation of your injury will help to speed up recovery time.

5. Choose Your Sports Gear with Care

Protect your feet and ankles with good quality tennis shoes providing the right level of support for the shape of your foot. If you are prone to ankle injuries, you can choose padded cuff ankle socks or an ankle brace for even more support.

Your tennis racquet choice is crucial. Apart from size and weight, the single most important thing to get right is the grip as this will be crucial in protecting your wrist from injury. If you have injured your wrist in the past, you may want to give yourself a little extra protection with a wrist support.

Your Chiropractor Perth is not just there for when you have an injury that is keeping you off the tennis courts, he can also help to ensure you stay injury free. Call Spinescan Chiropractic today on either (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant or (08) 61508785 Scarborough. Don’t let injury sideline you and prevent you enjoying the sport you love.

It is a fact that only 20% of us are likely to escape back pain during our lifetime. The problem is one of the most common reasons for visiting a Chiropractor. Winchester Chiropractor Max Atkinson (DC) says that preventing back pain and its debilitating results is a big worry for most patients who have already experienced at least one episode of back pain.

Mobility and the freedom to enjoy sports and family activities, even being able to do our jobs pain-free is something we take for granted until back pain strikes. However, as part of the care provided at his Bradford House Practice in Winchester, he helps patients to prevent a recurrence of their back problems with regular, scheduled ‘maintenance’ appointments. During these visits, Chiropractic adjustments can be made – but additionally, helpful tips on protecting the back from injury are all part of the service.

Many patients are aware of the fact that the risk of a back problem returning is high. This leads many to worry about the future and whether they will be able to go on doing their job, enjoying sport and other physical activities such as gardening if the problem gets worse. Why not discuss your worries and find out more about preventing back pain? If you have a back problem now, or have suffered injury in the past, call the Practice now on 01962 861188 to arrange an appointment.

Top Tips for Preventing Back Problems!

1. Lifting or carrying a weight incorrectly is one of the most common causes of back pain and injury. Health and Safety training provision is a requirement for employers so if you regularly have to lift or move weighty boxes, etc. as part of your job and you have not received this type of training, make sure your employer provides this.

2. If you experience pain during any activity, stop at once. Pain is the body’s way of warning us that something is going wrong. Ignore it and you are likely to make things much worse. Never take painkillers to enable you to carry on with an activity that is hurting you!

3. At home, choose your bed and your furniture carefully:

* Your mattress should support your spine and your pillow should support your neck. The spine should be as level as possible while you sleep. Laying on your side is better than on your tummy as laying on your front puts additional strain on your spine.

* Chairs and sofas should enable you to sit with both feet flat on the floor while at the same time having your back supported. Remember, a good workplace chair, correctly adjusted for your height will pay dividends in protecting your back.

* Do not sit for too long at a time. This weakens vital muscles. Make sure you remind yourself (even if you have to set a timer) to get up from your workstation at 20 minute intervals if only for 30 seconds or so. When watching TV at home, get up regularly, walk round the room, make a cuppa, have a stretch – your back will thank you for it!

4. Exercise regularly. Even people with long-term back problems can benefit from the right type of exercise. Pilates, Yoga and other classes that help with both core strength and mobility are very helpful. Just be sure to discuss your back problem with the class teacher. If he or she is not able to suggest safe alternatives to some of the exercises for the particular back problem you have, find another class – do not risk injury! On the subject of exercise, view jobs at home like DIY and gardening as an exercise class! Warm up your muscles first and do some gentle stretches afterwards.

Discuss your concerns with your Chiropractor. Advice on preventing back pain can help you effectively manage, many back problems. Do not let your fears about back pain stop you from enjoying life, your Chiropractor’s skill, advice, and support in preventing back pain will help you continue enjoying the activities that you love and minimize the risk of injury.

Life on the open road is one of joy, and when you enjoy cycling as a pastime, either socially or competitively, then heading out on your bicycle and having a sense of total freedom at hand is something to behold.

Now comes the bad news.

Cycling is one of the main sports out there to cause injury, mainly because of how heavy-going and repetitive it can be. Of course, cycling is great for general health, just like most forms of exercise, however wear and tear over time can lead to painful injury and strain, and in that case, it’s important to seek treatment fast, to stop the problem becoming worse, or more chronic.

Here at Neurobalance, we see and treat countless professional, amateur, and social cyclists, all suffering from a range of problems related to their sport of choice. The good news is that there is help out there, and gentle, holistic chiropractic methods are fantastic for righting any problems within the knees, legs, lower back and shoulders, which are all problem spots related to cycling. Sydney chiropractor, Rachael Veronesi, is highly experienced in dealing with cycling injury, and the ways in which to best treat a problem, helping you get back in the saddle faster.

The knees are generally the most common problem area when it comes to cycling, bearing the brunt and main motion which occurs during a pedalling action. Stretching of the calf and hamstring is also a problem, major muscles which all work to protect this precious and important joint. When a bicycle isn’t set up correctly for a person’s height, overstretching occurs, and this obviously causes injury due to pulled muscles and ligaments. In this case, it’s important not to continue cycling until the problem clears up. Chiropractic comes in very handy here indeed, using gentle adjustments and exercises to restore harmony to the area affected, boosting blood flow, and flexibility, in the most natural way there is.

We also tend to forget that when cycling, we are sitting down, and we know that when sitting for long periods of time, we need to be mindful of our posture. Incorrect posture can cause havoc with the back and shoulders, most commonly causing lower back pain. When cycling, it’s important to maintain the correct posture, to avoid these problems in the first place, however this is also something which chiropractic can help with if strains occur. Postural adjustments, whilst also being mindful of future correct posture, can help put right a strain, allowing freer movement without pain in the future.

If you are a keen cyclist, whether that means you go on competitive rides, or you simply head out into the countryside at the weekend for fun, then you will be eager to learn the ways in which you can reduce the chance of injury, and the ways to naturally treat an injury or strain if one does occur. If this sounds like something you are interested in, then don’t hesitate to call the practice now on 02 9938 5456 to arrange an appointment and discuss your circumstances.

Backs are complicated things; they give us structure, allow us to move, and give us a firm foundation on which to live our lives freely, however they are also a serious pain when things go wrong with them, creating a distressing set of circumstances for however long the problem persists.

Back pain is a very prevalent issue these days, and statistics show that this is a problem which is on the rise, thought to be due to our lifestyles these days. Even the younger generations are showing signs of developing back problems so early on in their lives, which doesn’t give much hope for the future. It’s because of this worrying problem that we should be seeking ways to reduce the possibility of back pain developing.

Ringwood chiropractic, Dr Tracey Lademann, is highly experienced and committed to helping those who not only have a current back problem, but also those who are seeking advice in order to prevent one developing at some point in the future. Chiropractic care has been shown to be fantastic in helping those currently suffering with a back problem, using gentle spinal manipulations and alignment techniques to correct imbalances, and kick-start the body’s own natural healing processes. After a firm diagnosis has been made, often following tests and possible x-rays, effective treatment can begin.

Of course, the best treatment out there is obviously prevention, and if you can stop a problem occurring in the first place you’re onto a winner. It’s not as difficult as you might think to put into place a few methods to prevent back pain, and a lot of it comes down to lifestyle advice, and being conscious of how you sit and move.

Lifting objects incorrectly is one of the main causes of back injury and pain, so making sure you lift correctly is obviously a good starting point. Always bend your knees and use your stomach muscles to protect your back. Keep the object you’re lifting close to your body and move upwards with your knees once more. Safe lifting techniques can certainly save back injuries. On top of this, correct posture, avoiding twisting movements, and sleeping comfortably will help you eradicate strains.

General healthy lifestyle advice can go a long way to helping with back pain problem prevention too, such as drinking plenty of water to hydrate the body and oil the intervertebral discs, maintaining a healthy weight to avoid putting pressure on the back, and taking part in regular exercise, making sure you warm up and cool down every time. These are all simple adjustments you can make to your daily life, to help cut down on the chances of sustaining a back problem.

Treatment for an existing issue which is causing you pain is obviously harder than prevention, but chiropractic measures have been shown to be gentle and effective in relieving pain. If you are suffering from an existing problem or you are at all worried about how your lifestyle could lead to a potential problem in the future, call the practice now on 03 9095 7990 to arrange an appointment.

Knee pain is distressing and upsetting, and can easily be caused by problems with movement, wear and tear, or simply an injury which occurred out of the blue. If you do experience pain of any kind which is felt in the knee area, you won’t need us to tell you how bad it can be. There are varying degrees of course, like any kind of pain, but our knees are our biggest joints, which help us move and give us stability; when there is pain here, you feel it throughout your body.

The fact that knee pain is such a common condition tells you a lot about the many different causes. This can be a repetitive movement, a sporting injury, a chronic condition, such as osteoporosis for example, but the fact remains that they are plentiful.

The good news is that this pain can be minimised by seeking help quickly. Here at Eastern Chiropractic we are committed to helping those suffering from pain in the knee area, diagnosing the cause and the exact nature of the problem, and then administering effective treatment as a result. Balwyn chiropractor, Nereo Rigoni, has years of experience in dealing with knee problems, and the ways in which to reduce the pain, and treat the problem.

Preventing an injury in the first place is the best course of treatment, however this can’t always be done. Sometimes, as we’ve mentioned, it’s a simple twist and nothing more, but other times it can be something which is more prevalent. An injury to the front, back, inside, or outside of the knee can cause severe pain, almost like a toothache niggle, which needs treatment to prevent the problem from worsening. Referred pain from another part of the body, such as the lower back or hips, can cause problems with the knees and create pain, and a mechanical issue with the feet can cause put pressure on the knees, due to the way you walk.

There are more severe causes for knee pain also, which may need referral to a specialist in order to treat them effectively. These can range from infection, inflammatory arthritis, or osteoporosis.

Osgood-Schlatter’s Syndrome, a Baker’s cyst, cruciate ligament injury, or medial collateral ligament sprain, these are also causes of knee pain which require treatment.

On top of this, a problem with the bursae, which is the area which surrounds the knee and provides lubrication, can cause pain. The meniscus is an area of the knee which can tear quite easily, usually caused by a sharp turn or blow to the leg. A complication of this can come from fragments of bone breaking free and moving into the knee, causing pain and further swelling.

As you can see, there are many different possible reasons for joint pain, and it’s important to pin-point the correct one before treatment begins. If you are at all concerned about knee pain, or you are in the middle of a troublesome episode, call the practice now on 9857 4503 to arrange an appointment. We can help you rid yourself of knee pain for good.

We all know that sustaining a knee injury is not a good thing, in fact it is officially ‘not a good thing at all’. Knee injuries are painful, take a long time to heal, and could potentially leave the sufferer with ongoing chronic pain and discomfort – you can see why anyone who sustains such an injury quickly gets that look of fear in their eyes at the realisation that they have a knee problem.

For professional athletes, certain types of knee injury can end a career, or at least hamper performance to the point where it is never the same as before. No matter how much you train and prepare your body for the rigours and trials it will go through during a sporting career, it only takes one wrong twist or a freak occurrence to cause a problem which could have a seriously negative effect.

There is no right or wrong kind of injury, but a meniscus tear injury, a fairly common one, is actually one particular knee complaint which can be put right. Obviously, this depends on severity, but the long road to recovery does have a shining beam of light at the end of it, and it’s not always down to surgery.

Here at Balance Chiropractic we are committed to helping people from all walks of life, with a huge range of different problems, and we see and treat many individuals with meniscus tear injuries, treating them in a totally conservative way. If an injury can avoid surgery, then we implement a series of exercises and rehabilitation methods to get the sufferer back to their best as quickly as possible. Epping chiropractor, Dr Gus Gunther, has treated countless people with this particular problem, and has a success rate to give you serious hope of getting back to your very best.

Treatment is instant, with icing of the area to prevent excessive swelling and to reduce pain. Once the initial swelling has gone down, a range of rehabilitation exercises are implemented and reviewed on a regular basis. This is a very delicate area and a delicate injury to treat, so checking for adverse effects is highly important. As the knee gets stronger and the muscles build up to support the healing injury, a slow reintroduction of daily activities begins, until the individual is eventually back to a normal range of movements and activities. This isn’t a quick process, but it is one that yields considerable success.

If you are worried about the effects of an injury you have sustained recently, don’t delay and call the practice now on (02) 9868 2509 to arrange an appointment. Quick assessment, diagnosis, and treatment is imperative in these cases, and once this has been done, you can start the long road to recovery, which with the help of highly effective chiropractic methods, can certainly give you much hope that your injury will not only be treated, but won’t leave you with lasting chronic pain and discomfort.